CPR Statement re: Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito's State of the City Criminal Justice Proposals

In response to the criminal justice reform proposals in New York City Council Speaker Mark-Viverito’s State of the City address, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Alyssa Aguilera, Political Director of VOCAL-NY.

New York, NY

“It’s good to see justice as such a central focus of Speaker Mark-Viverito’s State of the City address, and we welcome a focus on how we achieve it for New Yorkers. There were important proposals put forward today, and our hope is to work together with Speaker Mark-Viverito and the Council to achieve these goals, while at the same time passing critical police reforms like the Right to Know Act. The Speaker’s proposal to clear some of the more than one million open warrants, many stemming from low-level non-violent infractions, is a common-sense approach to alleviate a highly unnecessary and disproportionate burden on far too many New Yorkers, and we look forward to having the opportunity to engage in more detail. ‎Speaker Mark-Viverito’s creation of a commission to devise reforms and community-based justice initiatives is also a positive step, and should include impacted communities as key members on that commission. Our communities certainly need more justice through criminal justice reform, but it remains necessary that we simultaneously pursue more justice through legislative police reforms that together can deliver comprehensive and lasting justice for communities of color across the city.”

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About Communities United for Police Reform: Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) is an unprecedented campaign to end discriminatory policing practices in New York, and to build a lasting movement that promotes public safety and policing practices based on cooperation and respect– not discriminatory targeting and harassment. CPR brings together a movement of community members, lawyers, researchers and activists to work for change. The partners in this campaign come from all 5 boroughs, from all walks of life and represent many of those unfairly targeted the most by the NYPD. CPR is fighting for reforms that will promote community safety while ensuring that the NYPD protects and serves all New Yorkers.

Topics: Right to Know Act